Relatively large, heavy duty shipping containers are commonly reused by returning the empty container after removal of the items shipped within the container. However, since empty or full shipping containers occupy the same volume, returning an empty container requires just as much shipping space as the container required in the first instance. Since the expenses for shipping or storage may be determined by volume, reusing empty containers is relatively expensive. Frequently, it is not economically feasible to reuse empty containers because of the shipping expense.
Thus, various systems have been used to reduce the cost of shipping and storing empty containers in a knock-down condition. But, such systems ordinarily require considerable labor and frequently, require relatively expensive container construction. Thus, there has been a need for shipping containers which can be stored or shipped in knock-down condition, which can be disassembled and reassembled swiftly, without any substantial manual effort or labor or tools, and which are of sufficiently heavy duty construction to satisfy the initial shipping requirements. The invention herein relates to a simple, strong shipping container system which may be made of durable plastics and can be easily set up or knocked down without tools.